Client Newsletter ~ June 2020
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June is here! The school year is winding down, warmer weather is on its way and Neighborhood Connection’s office and free store will be reopening! Be sure to read the guidelines below and follow safety precautions to ensure the safety and health of everyone.

We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. We look forward to seeing all of you this month for shopping days. Happy June! 
Re-Opening Guidelines and Procedures

We’ll be following the phased re-opening schedule as recommended by Wisconsin’s Badger Bounce Back Plan. We’ll notify clients and the community of our movement into each phase via our Facebook page, website, and/or email and text messages.

The following procedures will be in place throughout all of the phases:
 
Staff, volunteers, clients, and donors over age 60 and those who are medically vulnerable should continue to shelter in place through Phases 1 and 2, thus will be encouraged to continue to stay home and not come in.
 
Procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19
  • Social distancing practices will be used throughout the office and store.
  • Staff members, volunteers, clients, and donors who have been exposed in the past 14 days or are sick should not come to the building.
  • Frequent hand washing and/or use of hand sanitizer is required.
  • We will provide masks and gloves for those who need them.
  • Cleaning supplies and disposable utensils and cups for the kitchenette will be provided.
  • Everyone will be required to wear a face mask when in the building. The only exception is for staff when they are working in their private office and no one else is near them.
  • Frequently touched surfaces including door handles, desks/counters, phones, light switches, faucets, kitchenette, coffee bar, and restrooms will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.
 
Instructions on the proper use of face masks, gloves, and cleaning supplies will be provided.
 
Anyone who enters and leaves the building will sign in and out in case this information is needed for contact tracing. 
 
If the State of Wisconsin restrictions revert to an earlier phase or change at any time, we will modify our procedures to match the current guidelines.
 
Phase One (May 27th – TBA)
 
Staff
  • Lisa and Stacey will work in the office on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; they can continue to work at home on Tuesday and Thursday. Clients and volunteers can still reach staff by email or phone at (608)535-9357 if they have an urgent need on Tuesday or Thursday.
 
Clients
  • Clients who are older than 60, medically vulnerable, ill, or who have been exposed in the last 14 days can continue to request items for pick-up or delivery rather than coming in for services or to shop.
  • Any client who is not feeling well or is unable to come in for any reason should remain at home and can request items be delivered to them.
  • Communication with Stacey for questions or case management can be done over the phone, via video conference, or in-person at our office with proper social distancing.
  • Shopping hours will be extended by one hour to better allow for social distancing. Daytime shopping will be from 10:00 AM-1:00 PM, evening from 4:00-7:00 PM.
  • Client families will be asked to send only one family member for shopping, if possible. We realize there may be times when more than one family member needs to look for clothing or other items that only they can select, but we will encourage the families to keep the number low.
  • Only five clients will be allowed in the store at one time and only one person should be in each shopping room at one time. Those waiting outside can remain in their cars or stand in a line on the front walk staying at least six feet apart.
  • To facilitate social distancing, clients will be asked to come to shopping based on the first letter of their last name: A-E 10:00 AM/4:00 PM; F-J 10:30 AM/4:30 PM; K-N 11:00 AM/5:00 PM; O-R 11:30 AM/5:30 PM; S-V 12:00 PM/6:00 PM; W-Z 12:30 PM/6:30 PM. If these times don’t work for a client, s/he can request a different time from Stacey.
  • Any client who cannot make it during a designated shopping time may contact Stacey to make an appointment for a day/time that works for their schedule.
  • Clients will be required to use hand sanitizer upon registration, before starting shopping.
  • If a client touches an item for an extended period or tries on a piece of clothing or an accessory, it should be placed in a designated bin and will not be placed back out on the floor for 72 hours.
  • Clients will not be given a clipboard and shopping sheet; rather, they will check out at the end of shopping with a volunteer or staff member in the lobby who will complete the shopping sheet.
 
Phases Two and Phase Three (TBA)
 
During Phases Two and Three, we anticipate using the same procedures as during Phase One, with the following possible changes based on recommendations at the time from the CDC and state/county health departments:
 
  • Increase number of volunteers per shift
  • Increase number of clients allowed during shopping
  • Allow meetings with larger numbers of people in the building
 
  If Someone Who Has Been in the Building Becomes Sick
 
If a staff member, volunteer, client, or donor who has been in the building is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, the following procedures will be followed:
 
  • The impacted individual will have to remain at home until they meet the requirements to discontinue home isolation per CDC recommendations and/or the guidance of their health care provider.
  • We will close off any areas that were used by for a prolonged period of time by the individual. After 24 hours, the area will be cleaned and disinfected. Surfaces will be cleaned with soap and water prior to disinfecting. The individual(s) cleaning the area will wear gloves and a face mask.
  • We will notify others who may have come in contact with the person of their possible exposure, but maintain confidentiality as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • Those who may have had contact with the person who do not have symptoms should remain at home and practice social distancing for 14 days.
  • We will provide all necessary information to the county public health department for contact tracing, as required.
  • We will evaluate staffing and open hours should an illness or exposure leave us too short-handed to remain open.
 
* * *
 
All of these procedures will be monitored, evaluated, and updated as guidelines and recommendations from the CDC and state/county public health departments are modified. 
Shopping Dates and Times for June

Monday, June 1 | 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Friday, June 5 – Senior Shopping | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Tuesday, June 9 | 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Wednesday, June 17 | 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Thursday, June 25 | 4:00-7:00 PM
 
For shopping, please adhere to the following guidelines:
  • Anyone coming into the building must wear a mask.
  • Please only send one person from your household for shopping, if possible.
  • We will only allow five clients in the building at one time. Please wait in your car or outside on the sidewalk until you are asked to enter.
  • To facilitate social distancing, please come to shopping based on the first letter of your last name: A-E 10:00 AM/4:00 PM; F-J 10:30 AM/4:30 PM; K-N 11:00 AM/5:00 PM; O-R 11:30 AM/5:30 PM; S-V 12:00 PM/6:00 PM; W-Z 12:30 PM/6:30 PM. If these times don’t work for a client, please request a different time from Stacey.
Neighbor to Neighbor
Family Crisis Program

If your family is experiencing a short-term, unexpected crisis , the Neighbor-to-Neighbor program can provide extra support and resources as you adjust to new circumstances. Through the Neighbor-to-Neighbor fund, we may be able to help cover some of the immediate expenses you may have.

We realize that during this time many of you may be out of work and this could create a short-term financial crisis for you. Perhaps you need help to buy groceries, pay utilities, pay rent or other necessary bills; this fund is designed to assist with those needs in this difficult financial climate. So that we can help as many families as possible, we are currently limiting the funding to $500 per household. If you are interested in applying for this program, click on the link to fill out an application . If you have questions about this program, please contact Stacey or Lisa.
Community Resources

Energy Services, Inc.

Additional Assistance/Crisis Funds:
Clients should just call in to the office at 608-333-0333 and request additional assistance/crisis funds. We do have some additional funds available however to get those funds we are hoping to see some type of payments prior to the pandemic. If there are not any payments on the account, it is not an automatic “no,” so anyone needing further assistance should still call as there may be other options. 

New Applicants/ Return Applicants that have not already applied for 2020 heating season:
For Clients who have not applied in the past or return applicants who have not applied for the 2020 heating season we can do a couple of things. They can call and book an appointment to do her application over the phone or they can apply online at ESI.help. With the pandemic we are allowing first time applicants to apply online and we are not requiring a pos ID's be done at this time. We are currently only counting one months’ worth of income so more families are able to get assistance. Please share this information with all of your colleagues and refer as many people as possible. We are here to help.  (Clients who have applied for 2020 should NOT complete the online application as it will just be denied.)

Food Share

Here is a link to all updates regarding the Food Share program: https://files.constantcontact.com/157071db201/a1efcf5a-2738-4b97-9382-073468df4cc4.docx

Emergency Medical Care for undocumented immigrants

Here is a link to emergency medical assistance for those who may be undocumented or without a social security number: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/forwardhealth/p-10072.htm
Waunakee Farmers Market
Every Wednesday, ​June 3 - October 28 | 3pm-6pm
Waun-A-Bowl/Rocky Rococo Parking Lot, 301 S. Century Ave. 

The Waunakee Area Farmers' Market makes it easy to enjoy farm fresh, locally produced, delicious goodness throughout the growing season. With a goal of promoting a healthy lifestyle for our community, we bring vendors together who provide a wide variety of fresh, quality produce, homemade goods and handmade products. New seasonal selections available every week. The Market is an outlet for local growers to sell their goods, connect with the community and preserve Wisconsin's unique agricultural heritage. 
New Client Registration

Anyone interested in registering to receive Waunakee Neighborhood Connection's services can contact Stacey Dudley, client and volunteeer services manager, at sdudley@waunakeenc.com or (608) 849-5740 to set up an appointment.